Review: ‘X-Men’ #2 Faces Annihilation

The X-Men are now Earth’s greatest heroes. They have stepped up to protect the planet and prove that mutantkind is not a threat. And in the wake of the Arakko terraforming event, the Earth needs the X-Men to protect them from annihilation, with all eyes on the team. However, no one expected that need to be so literal.

In the team’s second issue, they face a modern classic foe. It’s a huge threat that’s way bigger than anything most of Earth’s heroes have faced. From the looks of it, it’s all going to be just another day in the life of the X-Men, as told by Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, Clayton Cowles, and Tom Muller.

Cordyceps Jones and his gaming den have Earth in their crosshairs, and whoever destroys the planet first wins the pot. And one of the players reveals the ultimate trump card in the game — the Annihilation Wave. Can the X-Men stand between a threat which decimated the galaxy and planet Earth?

The series established a mission statement last issue and it’s sticking with it here. This is a big superhero book, which means that it’s a perfect entry point to the larger line. Duggan knows how to blend that brand of superheroes with the classic X-Men soap opera. While the action is big and bombastic, he tells quieter moments with the characters, especially Synch, Sunfire, and Polaris (though everyone gets a moment to shine).

However, this book is clearly a showcase for the art team. Gracia’s colors are stunning. They’re vivid, and he depicts light interacting with the spaces on the page better than pretty much everyone in the industry. Near the end of the issue, there’s a tree on the battlefield, and he captures the complexity of its coloration so well that I thought it was one of the most beautiful trees I’ve ever seen in comics.

Larraz, meanwhile, just does gorgeous work. Whether it’s the cheeky poker scene which opens the issue, the unsettling confines of Gameworld, or the battle itself. The Annihilation wave is also creepy and unsettling, but watching the X-Men battle it is incredible. He paces the fight to give it a massive scale and is extremely inventive in how the characters engage n combat; giving each their own visual language via facial expressions and even just simple movement. It’s gorgeous work from one of the best artists currently in comics.

With this issue, we get proof that the series’ launch wasn’t a fluke. The X-Men really are Earth’s mightiest, and it’s not just because they’re big damn heroes.

X-Men #2 is available now from Marvel Comics.